The Robber, The Pirate, and The Moth's Gold
by ScarletRedSouls
Summary: Chat Noir, the most feared pirate of the Seven Seas, while searching for the pirate legend Hawkmoth's treasure, kidnaps a princess who ran away from her home to escape an unwanted marriage. To his utter shock, the princess is not at all what he thought she was. He decides to cooperate with her as they share the same goal. !Pirate AU. Cross-posted on Ao3
1. Chapter 1

In the coastal parts of Europe, there lied the country of France. Since France was too big to be governed by a single king, it was split into four parts each; The Northern Kingdom, The Southern Kingdom, The Eastern Kingdom, and The Western Kingdom. The Northern and the Eastern kingdoms were surrounded by land, and the Western and the Southern had the largest sea ports in Europe.

The Northern Kingdom was ruled by the Agreste family, which consisted of the king, the queen, two princes and one princess. The queen, Emilie Agreste was long gone due to a mysterious illness, and the oldest prince, Adrien, had disappeared from the maps. That left the monarch Gabriel Agreste, the now-heir to the throne, Felix and the princess, Adrienne.

The Eastern Kingdom was ruled by a kind man, who was known by his last name, Damocles. He was a friendly monarch, always thinking of his subjects, and was especially fond of children. In fact, he used to occasionally visit his subjects in disguise, and taught the children how to read. His daughter, Princess Caline Bustier was herself an incredible teacher, and she used to teach young princes and princesses from faraway lands.

The Southern Kingdom was ruled by the Dupain-Cheng family, which consisted of the king, the queen, two princesses and one prince. The queen, Sabine Cheng, was a princess of China, who fell in love with King Tom Dupain when she was visiting the kingdom. Their oldest children were a set of fraternal twins, a girl and a boy, Princess Marinette and Prince Marin, and their youngest sibling was Princess Bridgette, who was engaged to marry the man she loved, Prince Felix.

The Western Kingdom was ruled by the old, unmarried and childless, Andre Bourgeois. He was the only monarch who was never suitable to rule a kingdom in the first place, but he inherited the throne because he was an only child. He was greedy, thoughtless, selfish, and lusted after young women. He wanted to conquer all the other kingdoms, and thus had waged a war against the Southern kingdom.

King Tom was in turmoil when King Andre had announced the war. He had tried to reason with Andre that the war was pointless, and therefore, should not happen at all. But King Andre turned a deaf ear to his pleas. Tom suggested that he put up an alternative to stop the war, as he was a believer in peace, and did not want his subjects to suffer. And when he heard the offer, he was absolutely horrified.

 _King Andre wanted to marry Marinette_.

Of course, he declined the offer immediately, but Andre was adamant, saying if he can't have Marinette, then he must have his younger daughter, Bridgette.

The Dupain-Cheng siblings were absolutely disgusted by this proposition. Prince Marin wanted to chop his head off at that very moment, but thankfully, was held back by his twin sister. In order to keep Bridgette safe, Marinette sent a letter to the Northern Kingdom to King Gabriel, offering a marriage proposal between Prince Felix and Princess Bridgette, as she was aware of the fact that the young couple were deeply in love with each other. Much to their delight, Gabriel had given his nod of approval without a second thought, and preparations for the wedding ceremony had begun immediately.

Finally, the day of the wedding arrived.

The hall was tastefully decorated. The curtains were a light pink, with a touch of crème, and floral designs a magenta hue. For the flowers, cosmos were used. The Cosmos was also used as the symbol of the royal family; the royal family's crests.

The guests came from all over France, and beyond. Kings, Dukes, Viscounts, Barons; you name them, were present at the joyous occasion, although, it was a bittersweet occasion for the bride's family.

The Agrestes were the most handsomely dressed at the wedding, with their blonde hair in sharp yet elegant hairstyles, and tastefully designed robes. Gabriel's dark-blue eyes scrutinizing every detail of the wedding hall with a neutral expression, Felix's gray-blue eyes seemingly emotionless along with his expression, though you could detect the warmth and excitement this time, and Adrienne's green eyes filled with warmth, and her lips pulled up in a gleeful smile.

The Dupain-Chengs along with the Agrestes were seated at the front row seats, watching Prince Felix at the altar, as he waited for his bride-to-be. The twins were seated with Adrienne, while their parents were sitting together, discussing war tactics and strategies, which disheartened the heirs.

As soon as the music blared, signifying the arrival of the bride, everyone's heads turned to look at the opening gates, revealing the princess in a beautiful white wedding gown, clutching a bouquet of crimson roses, a long veil trailing behind her. Bridgette's smile showed everyone how much she was happy and excited to finally marry the man of her dreams. As soon as Felix laid his eyes on Bridgette, his expression melted to show a rare, warm smile, his icy-blue eyes radiating warmth.

"Don't you think it's a little unfair that our sister is getting married before us?" Marin whispered.

"Ugh, you're right! I'm so jealous of her right now!" Marinette complained. "And you were getting proposals from insufferable women!"

"No woman can resist the midnight hair and bluebell eyes of Marin Dupain-Cheng. It's common knowledge!" He joked.

Marinette elbowed him in the gut. "Idiot. All of us have jet-black hair and bluebell eyes. Don't act as if you're special."

"I'm the most handsome prince in the kingdom."

"You're the only prince in the kingdom."

The twins kept exchanging jokes as the bride and the groom exchanged their vows. Finally, when the priest declared them husband and wife, Felix pulled Bridgette into a loving kiss. Marinette and Adrienne couldn't help but shed tears of joy.

At the dinner reception, as the newly-wed couple was sharing a dance at the center, Marinette couldn't help but feel as if someone was eyeing her with lewd expressions. When she turned her head around to look where the perpetrator might be, her eyes locked on the most uncomfortable sight sending a disgusted shiver down her spine, in the form of the monarch of the Western kingdom.

 _Andre Bourgeois._

Marinette tensed and looked away. She felt her hands being squeezed as a comforting gesture, and turned to look at her twins' face.

His face screamed murder.

"I want to kill him." He whispered to no one in particular.

"Patience brother." She whispered, squeezing his hands.

He sighed. "I still can't believe that father invited that pathetic excuse of a human being."

"It's understandable Marin. If we didn't, goodness knows what that man would have done." She looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping on them. "Have you informed maman and papa of my departure from here?"

"Yes. Even the Agrestes understand our situation."

"Good. I've informed Alya as well. Since she's my lady's maid and has no family, and stubborn as a bull," she muttered the last part. "She's tagging along with me."

"That's good to know. Also, I've opened the hidden passages in the castle. You can slip out of here and no one will know."

"Well, that's a relief. Although, I have no idea why I'm dressed in white; I'm going to look like a runaway bride." She said gesturing to her dress.

Marin chuckled dryly. "Well, you are technically a runaway bride. Aren't you escaping from an unwanted marriage?"

"That's true." She said rolling her eyes.

"Also," his lips curled into a cheeky smile. "Make sure you don't get robbed or killed by Ladybug."

Marinette snorted. "Wouldn't dream of it." She flashed him an amused smile.

The people of the Southern Kingdom had no problems in their lives. Except for the notorious outlaw, Ladybug.

Ladybug had appeared three years ago seemingly out of nowhere. She was despised and feared by the people. She had the tendency to rob from rich households, and occasionally killed people. And every single one of her victims were always related in some form of corruption. No one knew what happened of the money she robbed; if it was ever stolen by her, there was absolutely no chance that the money would be recovered.

When everyone found out that Ladybug was in fact a woman, people were absolutely disgusted by her. She was also criticized for the provocative outfit she used to wear. Black pants, a black tube-top that only covered her breasts, exposing her shoulders and stomach, bright red knee-high boots with hidden daggers, a man's jacket of the same bright-red color, bright red circular earrings decorated with black spots on her earlobes, a red colored fedora decorated with a black ribbon, a small gold ladybug charm, and a black feather, hair split into two pigtails tied with long red ribbons, a sword with a red colored sheath and a black colored handle on her hip, and a scarlet-red mask with black spots covering her eyes and cheekbones was the outfit associated with her. The colors red and black clearly on her outfit earned her the name Ladybug.

"So when are bolting out of here?"

"I don't know. Probably in a half hour."

"Hm, I guess that's a good time to leave. It's getting boring anyway."

"Alright. Then let me see our family for the last time. I don't want Alya to wait for too long." She then patted his cheek affectionately with one hand, giving him a thankful smile. "Take care of maman and papa for me. And, take care of yourself, future king of the Southern Kingdom."

Marin's smile became a painful one. He engulfed his sister into an embrace which she returned with the same desperation as her twin. "I'll miss you, Marinette. It'll be tough to stay separated from my other half, but I'll manage."

She giggled into his shirt. "It will be tough to stay away from my other half too, Marin. But we'll be strong. We'll do what is right for the safety for our people, and ourselves." She pulled away from his embrace and looked at him with a determined expression. "I'm going Marin. Take care of Adrienne for me." She winked.

His cheeks tinted pink but his expression remained somber. "Alright sis, take care of yourself."

With a final nod, she turned around and looked for her family, feeling a slight pang in her chest. She found the remaining members of her family–including the side from her brother-in-law's–and gave her mother a tight hug.

"I'll miss you, maman." She whispered quietly, her vision becoming blurry with unshed tears.

"Take care, sweetheart." Her mother whispered quietly into her hair.

After pulling from her hug, Marinette hugged her father, Bridgette, Felix and Adrienne. After a tearful goodbye, she bolted for her room, where her lady's maid Alya, a girl with golden tan skin, curly copper hair, hazel eyes and a beauty mark above her right eyebrow, was waiting for her.

"Princess, I've packed your satchel." The maid urged, handing Marinette a large, brown satchel, clearly packed with clothes.

"Excellent work Alya. You do know where the hidden passages are?"

Alya nodded in agreement.

"Good. Then what are we waiting for? Let's get out of here!"

* * *

 **A/N : So lovelies, i've finally uploaded my !Pirate AU. I've already formed the story in my mind. So concerning the sibling's age. Marinette and Marin are 20 (because, twins) and Bridgette is 17. Adrien is around 22 or 23, Felix is 20 and Adrienne is around 18 or 19. The updates might be random, because my school year is about to start, and i might become busy afterwards. Andre is childless because i've got plans for Chloe. Excuse the geography for France, please. Let me know if i should continue with this story. Let me know your thoughts via reviews and PMs, I'm open to suggestions. So, until next time, Peace Out!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N : OMG! 14 favs, 30 follows, and 9 reviews!? You spoil me, guys! Anyway, thanks for being patient, so here is a new chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

The duo kept running, switching between corridors as per the directions provided by Marin. Marinette knew her brother was proficient in sneak attacks, and therefore made it a point to learn about every hidden passageway and secret hideouts whenever they were visiting places.

When they finally took the turn that was supposed to lead to a hidden passage, they came face-to-face with a corridor with a dead end.

"Damn," Alya muttered. "How are we supposed to get out of here?"

"Marin said we have to pull a lever; it'll open the door."

"What sort of lever?"

"He didn't mention. But I suppose it's one of these unlit torches."

Both Marinette and Alya started to fumble with the torches in the dark corridor. They both started to pull the torches in different directions, hoping it would open some sort of hidden door, but they refused to budge.

At last, Alya came across the disguised lever. However, when she pulled it, it only moved a little to the right. She later saw that it was rusted shut.

"Your highness, I found the lever."

"Really? That's great, Alya!"

"But it's rusted! I can't move it further!"

Marinette thought for a moment before speaking. "Do you have your hair oil in your satchel, Alya?"

"Uh-huh. I have to keep it since my hair gets out of control sometimes."

"Alright, give it to me."

Alya took out a small hand-sized tin container from her satchel which contained her hair oil, and gave it to Marinette. She opened the cap of the container, and let a few drops of oil drip in its hinges. She tested the lever, and found that it was moving with ease. She capped the container and gave it back to the maid. Then they both took hold of the lever, and pulled it down with heavy grunts. When it came down, a section of the wall at the dead-end opened up to reveal a hidden passage. The girls grinned triumphantly.

"So, that's our queue to leave then?" Alya asked with uncertainty and hopefulness.

"Exactly. Now come on, let's hurry before those guards discover us here!" Marinette urged.

Both girls entered the opening to the passage. They discovered another lever inside, but this time, it was made of wood, which made it easier to use. Marinette rolled the lever several times, till the passage was concealed again. They both hurried out of the castle, never turning their heads to look at the direction from where they came.

…

"We-we made it!" Marinette huffed, as they stopped to catch their breath, at a clearing of trees.

"We sure did!" Alya agreed, panting as she was sprawled on the grass under the shade of the tree, at the red and orange sky.

"Uh, princess?"

"Hm?"

"Why are you wearing boots?"

Marinette raised an eyebrow. "It's because I don't like wearing fancy shoes."

"That's not true, we all know how much you like to design and wear your own wardrobe. And those were clearly your designs." Alya said, smirking a bit.

"Ugh, fine!" Marinette sighed in defeat. "They're awfully comfortable to run in! You don't think I would've destroyed those shoes which took me six months to make, did you?"

"Nope, not for a moment." Alya chuckled, making the royal glare at her.

Marinette sat down on the ground with a huff, and began rummaging through her satchel. She checked through the satchel to make sure that everything on her inventory was in place; clothes, shoes, comb, soap, seal wax, quills, parchment, a pouch filled with coins, a small sewing kit (she learned to sew from her previous maid after much insistence), a small knife and some other necessities. A small, satisfied smile played on her lips, impressed with her maid's packing skills, even if she had been at the castle for only a few months. Then, her gaze dropped to a bundle which was wrapped in brown cloth, and looked at it with suspicion.

"Alya," she said sternly. "You didn't open the bundle I asked you to put in, did you?"

Alya shook her head in denial. "No, your highness, I didn't." She quirked her eyebrows with curiosity. "Why, is it something important?"

She narrowed her eyes. "It is, but it's not your business."

Alya raised her hands in surrender. "Alright I get it!" suddenly, a frown marred her face. "Wait! Do you hear that?"

"I'm not in the mood for one of your pathetic little jokes, Alya." Marinette growled a little.

"I'm not joking! I swear I heard someone!" she shuts her eyes to concentrate a little. "I have a feeling it's coming from the Seine."

"Are you sure about that?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"I'm positive." She points one finger where it leads to the river. "It's coming from there."

"Alright, fine! Let's go to the Seine, I'm thirsty anyways."

Marinette and Alya start running towards the river. The closer they get to the river, the clearer the sounds get. And from the sound of it, it seemed as if there was a man shouting and screaming for help. It sent a shiver down Marinette's spine.

"Oh my goodness, you're right Alya! It sounds as if a man is in danger!" Marinette squeaked.

"I told you I heard something. Come on, we're getting closer!" Alya urged.

They both quickened their pace and hurried for the river bank. Once they reached the bank, Marinette's heart almost came out of her mouth, as her eyes widened in horror as she saw the scene unfolding in front of her eyes.

In the middle of the wild, roaring foams of the mighty Seine, a man was struggling to keep himself from being washed away with the waves, as he attempted to walk through the river to reach the other side, all the while calling out cries for help.

Without thinking, Marinette jumped into the wild foams of the river, ignoring the way Alya cried "Your highness!" to reach the struggling individual and pull him out of the river safely. She struggled to keep her breath; the river kept trying to stop her with spraying water on her face obscuring her vision, rendering her almost breathless. She struggled to walk across the river, as the waves kept throwing her off-balance and tried to drown her, but she didn't give a damn. Her sole focus was to get the man to safety.

As she was an arms-distance from the man, she extended her hand towards him so that he would take hold of it.

"Grab my hand!" she hollered, hoping that he would've heard her over the thundering of the churning waters.

Thankfully, he did. He extended his own hand, and after a few slip-ups, finally grabbed her hand with a steel grip. She gripped his own hand tightly, pulled him closer to her, and began dragging them both to the edge. Dragging herself was difficult enough–getting two people across proved to be much harder than she thought. The added weight of the short man kept tripping her, but she was still able to walk, albeit with a much slower pace. She couldn't afford to commit any mistakes; their lives were at stake!

Even if coming back to bank looked near to impossible, the duo somehow finally made it. As soon as their feet touched the grass, they collapsed on the ground, exhausted. Then they both crouched on the ground and started coughing out water which had entered their lungs. Alya hurried over to Marinette, and started rubbing her back, as she coughed out more water.

"Oh my god princess, are you okay!? Don't do that again please; you almost gave me a heart attack!" Alya said, all the while fussing over her.

"I'm fine." Marinette croaked. She then turned around to look at the man she saved. Her eyes widened as she recognized who the short Asian man was.

"Master Fu!?" She spluttered. "What were you doing in the middle of a river?"

Master Fu was the best healer in all of France. He was a very wise man, and people took his words and teachings to heart. He was close to the Dupain-Cheng family, and Marinette was especially fond of him.

His brown glowed with gratitude as he spoke. "I was out of town to heal a sick boy, your highness. He was an only child, and had never seen the face of his father. His mother had been crying herself dry because he was her only family."

"Oh." was all that came out of her mouth. Master Fu had this weird habit of giving away more than was needed.

"I'm assuming you are going somewhere, your highness?" he asked as his eyes glittered knowingly, while stroking his beard.

"Um, yes. I-I was…running away from the castle."

"Oh? And what was the need to take such a drastic step?"

"King Andre wanted to marry me as an alternative to stop the war." She explained. "My father refused, of course, but then he demanded our sister's hand instead. We got her married to Prince Felix for her own safety, and I ran away as soon as I got the chance."

Master Fu closed his eyes while frowning, as he hummed in understanding. He stroked his gray beard, all the while lost in his thoughts. At last, he opened his eyes, wrinkling as he gave a thankful smile.

"I suppose I never did thank you for saving my life, Princess Marinette." He said. He held out a small box which was wrapped in green fabric. She supposed he had been carrying it with him.

"Here, please take it as a token of my gratitude." He said, while holding out the box to her. Marinette quickly shook her head.

"No Master Fu, I can't accept this!" she spluttered, making the old man chuckle.

"Always the humble little girl. Please accept it; I insist."

Marinette looked at the box and groaned, giving in to the man's persistence. "All right Master Fu, if you say so." She said as she took the box. She noticed that his walking cane had been washed away with the river, so she motioned for Alya to get a tree branch for his use. The maid immediately fetched the perfect sized branch, and gave it to him.

"Thank you, Miss. Now I must take my leave." He smiled as he trotted off towards the capital of the Southern Kingdom.

…

"Phew, finally my clothes are dry again!" Marinette exclaimed as she inspected her dress. Her boots were kept with the small gift Master Fu had given, which she had taken off before jumping in the dangerous waters.

"I sure hope so; I don't want any of us catching a cold." Alya said, as she warmed her hands with the fire she made.

"Hm. I wonder what's in this box." Marinette said as she examined the box. She unwrapped the bundle and opened the it. Inside the box was a red yo-yo with five black spots, a small circular plate with concentric circles–the outer ring divided into five parts, and the inner circle divided into two halves–and an old piece of rolled parchment with a jagged edge, suggesting that it must have been ripped by hand. The contents of the box puzzled the girls.

"A yo-yo? What's it for?" Alya asked puzzled.

Marinette frowned. "I don't know why a kid's toy was in there."

Alya picked up the rolled parchment, and unfurled it. The unfurled piece of paper opened up to reveal a map, with a compass, numbers for coordinates, and what she thought was a geography for an island (ripped in half), judging by the directions, and the carefully drawn details of trees, lakes and rivers. "What is this supposed to be?" She wondered aloud.

Curiosity got the better of Marinette. She snatched the paper and began to make out the words written on it. "It says ' _Akuma.'_ " She spelled the words aloud.

"Isn't ' _Akuma_ ' the name of the ship that belonged to Hawkmoth, the most brutal pirate of the Seven Seas?"

Marinette nodded. "The one that was killed by Chat Noir? Yup, that's him."

"So, this must be a map of some sort, judging by this compass and the squiggly lines." Alya said observing and pointing at the map.

"If this is indeed a map by Hawkmoth, then this must be valuable." She said thoughtfully. Alya nodded in understanding. She then picked up the red and black yo-yo, and began toying with it. The yo-yo reminded her of Ladybug, who had saved her from being sold to slavery

"By the way princess, what do you think of Ladybug?" Alya asked with genuine curiosity.

"She's a scoundrel." Marinette said, without taking her eyes off the map. "A thief and a murderer."

'How strange.' Alya thought to herself. 'Is she talking about the same Ladybug who saved me all those months ago?'

…

"What do you mean she's gone!? I demand you bring her here at once!" King Andre bellowed.

"We told you–we sent Marinette away from here so that she can be away from your filthy hands." King Tom seethed with gritted teeth, giving him a furious glare. It infuriated Andre even more.

"Now that the wench is gone, you've lost your only chance to stop this war!" He shouted. "I promise that you all will pay for your insolence." He announced as he pointed to the other kings of France. With a final huff he stormed out of the room, leaving King Tom, King Gabriel and King Damocles with a bitter reality.

Tom sighed. "I'm sorry gentlemen. This war cannot be avoided."

"Worry not Tom," Gabriel spoke up. "With this marriage union, we are now your allies. We'll do everything in our power to crush the scoundrel."

"It's a shame what kind of man Andre turned out to be." Damocles sighed with pity. "If he had been taught correct values in his childhood, none of this would have happened. Don't worry Tom; I'll make sure our combined forces would thwart that man's ego."

Unknown to the men, the queen had heard everything that happened in the room.

'Oh dear lord, please help us!" Sabine silently prayed. 'Please make sure that Marinette is away from this war-ridden land."

* * *

 **A/N : Be careful what you wish for, Sabine!**


	3. Chapter 3

Somewhere, along the shorelines of the Southern Kingdom, a small rowboat was anchored–which had come from a huge, dark-colored ship–from which, two men proceeded to climb out of it. One of the men had tan skin, dark hair and amber eyes, while the other was slightly shorter with a paler complexion, jet-black hair, and acid-green eyes. Both of them were not in the best of moods.

"Ugh! Why did I agree to this again?" the shorter man grumbled. "The kid has clearly no sense of gratitude, after all I had done for him!"

"You agreed to this because you're the first mate, and because he trusts you the most, Plagg." The tanned-skin man reasoned. Then he added with a smirk. "It's also because you couldn't resist when he offered you a barrel-full of camembert."

The man named 'Plagg' rolled his eyes. "It's not my fault that camembert is the most delicious thing after rum, Nino. It's the only thing I would be willing to give up my fucking life for." He paused. "Well, the _second_ thing, actually."

Nino laughed. "Uh-huh! You can take shit for your cheese, but not for her." He then added with a dreamy sigh. "I don't understand when I'll get a woman for myself."

"You'll get her, sooner or later." Plagg patted his shoulder. "Until then, enjoy cheese."

"Yeah, right." He said, his nose wrinkling in disgust.

The men reached the kingdom's capital after walking for an hour or so. They soon reached the town square, bustling with the hub-bub of citizens. The lanterns were hanging everywhere, brightening the lively atmosphere even more.

"So, who is it we're looking for?" Nino asked, as he looked around.

"The oracle." Plagg replied lazily.

"Oracle?"

"He's apparently close to the royal family of this kingdom." He explained. "He's also in the possession of the other half of the map, and the Miraculous Plate."

"So you have any idea where the little shit lives?"

He shook his head. "Not a clue."

The men looked around at the crowd. Nino tapped on the shoulder of a young boy, who jumped a little at his touch, and turned around to face the men with wary eyes.

"Hey kid, do you know where the oracle lives?" Nino asked the boy.

"The oracle? Do you mean Master Fu?" the boy asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

"Yeah kid, that's who we are yapping about." Plagg snapped.

"What do you want with him?"

"He has something very important that belongs to us." Nino explained. "And we need it back."

"I don't know about that," the boy admitted. "He was gone for a few days to heal someone."

"So, he isn't here?"

"Actually, he just came back. I saw him entering his house not too long ago."

"So, do you know where he lives?"

"Sure, just go that way, you'll see a sign of his shop." The boy explained while pointing at a certain direction.

The men proceeded to walk past the boy, brushing shoulders with him roughly. However, before they could go too far, the boy called out to them.

"Hey, are you pirates by any chance?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

This question seemed to irritate the two pirates. Before Nino could snap an angry retort, Plagg fished out a gold coin from his pocket and tossed it to the boy, and pressed a finger to his mouth, signaling to keep his mouth shut. The boy nodded, pocketed the coin, and hurried off.

…

While the pirates were busy tracking Master Fu, the girls were walking alongside the bank of the river Seine, to reach the sea port. The port was about half-an-hour walk from where they were currently situated.

It seemed that for some reason, Marinette was deeply fascinated by the red and black yo-yo. She kept toying with the string, twirling it around in circles, or doing some other tricks. The yo-yo must have been in some form of enchantment, as it glowed with a brilliant red light when swung around with great speed.

"The string is extremely sturdy it seems," Marinette wondered aloud, as she examined the thick, black string of the yo-yo. "Why, if I develop some tricks with it, I would be able to swing from one end to the other."

"Won't that send our skirts flying in the air, giving the world the view of the forbidden area?" Alya shook her head in amusement.

"Is that a fact to be ashamed of, when you are having fun worth a lifetime?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll say yes, if it's in front of the man I harbor affections for."

Marinette snorted.

They walked for a little while in silence, until Alya decided to speak again.

"So, what do we do after we go to the port?" the copper haired girl asked.

"I don't know," Marinette admitted. "I didn't think of that when I was planning to run away."

"Don't worry; we'll decide about that when we reach there." Alya gently patted her back, earning a grateful smile.

Suddenly, an echoing of a deep ringing sound rumbled throughout the entire kingdom. War Gongs.

A war was about to happen.

The sound of the gongs was heard at small, regular intervals. Frantic. Scared. A warning of utter chaos and destruction.

"What in the world is going on?" Alya asked panicking.

"War gongs," Marinette breathed. "It's a warning. Father wasn't able to persuade Andre. This war, it cannot be avoided.

"What?" Alya squeaked.

"Andre must've figured it out I ran away. He must've been angry not to find me there."

"It's getting too dangerous to stay here," the red-head said sharply. "We cannot stay here any longer; we must proceed to the port at once."

Marinette couldn't agree more.

…

"Alright, now where is the fucking map?" Plagg growled at the small Asian man, who looked unnerved by the unruly pirates.

"I'm afraid that it's no longer in my possession." Master Fu replied coolly.

"Don't play games with me, you little shit! We need the map right now!" he almost yelled at him.

"As I said earlier, I promise you gentlemen that I no longer possess the map you talk about."

"Nino," Plagg hissed, not taking his eyes off the oracle, as he held his collar in one hand. "Search the house."

Nino obeyed him without speaking anything. He went around the little cottage, thoroughly searching all the rooms all the while turning everything upside-down. All his efforts were in vain, as he didn't find the objects anywhere.

"He's right, there's nothing in here." Nino sighed dejected. This infuriated an already angry Plagg. The green-eyed pirate pushed the small man against the wall; his eyes screaming utter chaos and destruction.

"If you don't have the map, then where is it?" he hissed.

"When I was coming back, a young woman saved me from getting washed away by the river." He explained. "As a token of my gratitude, I gave the box to her, which she accepted with great reluctance. The contents of the box you desire–she is now in possession of it."

Plagg looked at the man with disbelief, and unsurprisingly, Nino wore the same expression.

"WHAT!?" Nino shouted. "YOU GAVE THE MAP TO A MERE WOMAN!?"

"Two young women, actually. And the women are not mere simpletons." Master Fu said with a tsk. "They are the brides of the cat and the turtle, who are escaping the kingdom from this oncoming war."

"'The brides of the cat and the turtle'? What the fuck are you yapping about?" Nino snapped. His eyebrows quirked in confusion. "And what do you mean by war?"

To answer his question, a loud, deep, ringing sound was heard throughout the entire kingdom. It sounded as if someone was beating huge gongs at repeated intervals, sounding as if it were trying to warn someone.

"War gongs."

These two words made the two men stiffen at their places, with Plagg releasing Master Fu out of his hold. He quickly shook out of his brief stupor.

"So a war is beginning, big deal." He glared at the old man. "Now, tell us where the fucking map is, or I swear I wouldn't hesitate to spill out your guts!"

Master Fu didn't even flinch. "The possessors of the map are about fifteen minutes away from the sea port. If you hurry, you would be able to get to them before they catch a vessel to flee the country."

With that final warning, Plagg released the oracle with a slight shove. The men proceeded to walk out of the house, and turned their hasty steps towards the Southern kingdom's seaport.

"Well," Plagg smirked wickedly. "Time to fetch the maps for the cat."

…

"Ugh! My feet are killing me!" Marinette complained as they made their way to the port.

"So's mine! But hey, I think I can see the port from here!" Alya exclaimed, as she narrowed her eyes to get a clearer view of the port in the dark. "But I don't think they are going to ferry us into another country."

"Oh, you don't know that!" the princess chided. "It's war-time–it's practically going to be overcrowded in there, what with people trying to run away."

"Hmm, I guess you're right." Alya added thoughtfully. "So, what're we going to do about Hawkmkoth's map?"

"Don't know," the ravenette admitted. "But I suppose we can ask one of the sailors there. They must know something about it."

"You mean we're going to find the mounds of gold this jerk hid somewhere?" Alya said wiggling her eyebrows.

"It would be fun," she said smiling a little. Then it turned into a frown. "But don't you think the sailors are going to find it a little suspicious?"

"You mean the map being ripped in half? Yeah, that wouldn't be suspicious at all!" Alya remarked sarcastically.

"I'm serious Alya! I really think we should stay out of this treasure business! We're only going to be inviting trouble to ourselves!"

"Well, I think that you're a little too late for that, ladies!" an unfamiliar voice rang out.

The sudden voice of a stranger made both girls jump in shock. They both turned around to face the owner of the voice, hidden behind a large rock.

The sight of the dangerously wicked smirks of the two unfamiliar men chilled them to the core.

…

"It would be fun, but don't you think the sailors are going to find it a little suspicious?"

This strange comment, clearly from a woman, made Plagg and Nino halt in their tracks.

They both were out of the sights of anyone in particular, but they could still make out two girls–one with jet-black with a white gown associated with royalty, the other with copper-red hair with the outfit of a maid, presumably. They both were facing away from the pirate's hiding spot.

"You mean the map being ripped in half? Yeah, that wouldn't be suspicious at all!" the girl with the copper-hair and the maid outfit said sarcastically.

"Huh, she's cute." Nino wondered aloud, eyeing the red-head. Plagg smacked him on his head.

"Be quiet, you idiot! These could be the girls the oracle mentioned!" he whisper-yelled.

The map ripped in half. Yes, that was the map they were looking for! At least, he could still maintain faith in the words of oracles.

"I'm serious Alya! I really think we should stay out of this treasure business! We're only going to be inviting trouble to ourselves!" the ravenette scolded the red-haired maid, presumably Alya.

"Treasure business," Nino whispered. "They have no fucking idea that it's more of an honor than just bits of gold."

"So, you think we should surprise them?"

"I'm all for it; I want that red-head." Nino remarked cheekily. Then, they both came into the view, peering out of the rock they were hiding. "Well, I think that you're a little too late for that, ladies!" he called out with a little too much enthusiasm.

This startled the two women–clearly by the way they jumped–and they turned around to face them. The wicked smirks on the men's faces made the red-headed girl look fearful, but the blackette had a determined, an almost royal expression.

"What do you want?" the blackette spat out, as if it were bitter poison.

"You have something of ours, ladies!" Nino said, still smirking.

"What in the world are you talking about?"

"You know what we are yapping about!" Plagg barked. "In fact, that little oracle led us here."

"M-Master Fu!?" the girl spluttered. Then she glared venomously at the two men. "What did you to him?"

"Nothing, just roughed him up a little." He said examining his dagger. Then he turned to face her with a scowl. "Now, you must come with us to the ship."

"W-What?" she sneered. "Why should we go anywhere with you filthy pirates?"

"You know far too much," he said mysteriously. "The captain wouldn't appreciate it if he knew that you've been carrying around the _Akuma_ map, along with the Miraculous Plate. It would be worse if he found that you both know about us and are wandering freely while knowing forbidden information."

"And why should we listen to you?"

To let them know why, he roughly pulled Alya close to himself, and pulled the dagger close to her throat, who tried not to let whimpers escape her mouth.

The black-haired woman looked pained and conflicted. She opened her mouth to reply the most intelligible response.

"Well, crap."

* * *

 **A/N: Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

The night seemed to drag on, as the group made their way to the ship. _Cataclysm_ was the name of the great beauty. She was a beautiful, a dark brown–almost black–colored ship, which was much larger than an average sea vessel. Well, of course it would be much larger–the pirates aboard the _Cataclysm_ were the most ruthless and richest for nothing! Why their captain still chose to hide himself behind a mask–both metaphorically and physically–it was something that could only be obtained through the oracles themselves, though they outright refused to disclose it.

With every jerk the little boat made as it bumped on the rolling waves of the sea towards the pirate ship, butterflies swarmed in the girls' stomach. Alya had closed her eyes and her mouth moved in a soft murmuring prayer, while Marinette simply chose to gaze at the brightly dotted sky, with a stoic expression, with a hint of determination sparkling in her blue orbs.

As if reading the girls' mind, Plagg and Nino chose to stay quite. Plagg was not in the mood for talking, as his stomach spoke louder than his mouth, and Nino, while maintaining a nonchalant and a smug expression, looked oddly flustered for some reason. As the men kept rowing, the ship became much larger, much more intimidating.

As soon as they reached the hull of the ship, they tied the small boat to the chains that hung from the wooden railings of the deck. A long rope ladder hung from between the chains, which Nino had grabbed and pulled it a little to test for strength. His right hand glittered in the moonlight, showing a bracelet made of jade resting on his wrist. Satisfied, he climbed the ladder a little, pausing to turn around a little with a shit-eating grin, and held out a hand to Alya.

"Would the kind lady follow this handsome jaded turtle?" he offered.

Alya gave him a scowl. She slapped his hand away, and proceeded to follow the pirate, all the while taking care that her satchel would not fall from her shoulders.

Marinette watched as Alya carefully climbed the rope ladder. She was a little nervous to climb it, as she was used to climb wooden ladders with her siblings when they were messing around in the castle. Marinette quickly blinked the tears away that were threatening to fall out of her sapphires.

"Getting cold feet, are you?" Plagg frowned as he spat, jerking her out of her memories. She glared at him.

"You wish."

Not wanting to glance at the smug look the pirate had, she took the ladder in her hands, and began to climb the ship, following Alya, with Plagg following the ravenette from behind.

After a few minutes of climbing the ladder, they finally reached the edge of the wooden railing. They hopped on over it, their feet hitting the wood. They were aboard the _Cataclysm_.

Marinette looked around, and was a bit unnerved to find the deck to be empty–not a single soul was on sight. For some reason, she really liked the crow's nest that was attached with the mast of the ship.

"Is everyone asleep or something?" Alya asked, as she raised an eyebrow.

"It's past midnight. What do you expect?" Plagg replied sourly.

"Are you always this unpleasant?"

"On the contrary, people find me extremely charming."

Everyone beside Plagg snorted.

Nino glanced at the brightly lit sky before speaking. "The captain is still awake by this point."

Marinette looked skeptical. "Really?"

"I know my buddy. Known him ever since we were twelve year-old lads. Probably waiting for news before catching on his sleep."

"Neptune, this kid and his stubbornness." Plagg grumbled. He then grabbed Marinette's hand roughly, which she shoved away. He chuckled, with a hint of smugness. "You better not display that attitude in front of Chat Noir. I may forgive you for this, but I promise that he won't give a fuck."

Her lips twitched, trying to hide an amused smirk.

The girls followed Nino, while Plagg was trailing behind the group. Marinette was getting nervous with each step they were taking in the dimly-lit corridor that led to the rooms, and Alya had somehow became more confident, ready to face challenges that would be thrown at them.

They stopped abruptly, with Alya colliding into Nino's back, the latter stiffening at the contact. He turned around to face the girls with a stern expression.

"This would be your room for the time being." He said gesturing to the door on his right, the girls' left. He opened the door to reveal a small room, with two small beds, the wooden walls brown and dull, and a large circular window, giving the view of the vast expanse of the sea. The room that was meant for prisoners was a bit comfortable looking, but the girls couldn't help but grimace at the blandness, clearly used to the extravagance of the castle.

"Unfortunately, because we brought you here with the fucking emergency, we couldn't decorate it to suit your taste. But I hope you would be comfortable, won't you _princess_?" Plagg grinned.

The way the green-eyed pirate spoke her title with such venom, she wanted to vomit on the spot.

The men shoved them in the room, and slammed the door shut. If looks could destroy, the door would have been in flames, the way they glared at the door. Knowing that moping wouldn't get them anywhere, they sat on the edge of the beds.

"So, now what?" Alya asked.

"Well, it looks like we only have to wait." Marinette sighed, dejected, clutching her satchel close to her heart.

…

Plagg and Nino went to in front of cabin door, which was a rich black in color, with writings made of silver that spelled _Chat Noir_ hung from the door. A soft sound of a piano playing could be heard from inside the cabin. As Nino knocked on the door, the music stopped, and a muffled masculine voice called out from inside.

"Nino, is that you?" the voice asked.

"Yup buddy, that's me." He replied with a cheerful voice, which turned serious at the end. "We found the map, along with the Miraculous Plate…"

"And…?" the voice asked, clearly catching that there was more.

"And they were with two women." He replied, his voice devoid of humor. "That fucking oracle passed on the map to them, and now they refused to give it."

"And, you brought them here?"

"We had to!" He urged. Then he smirked. "One of them is a servant from the castle of the Southern kingdom. The other is…well, a runaway bride, who happens to be their princess."

Plagg and Nino could clearly hear the smirk in his voice. "Well, I guess it's time to acquaint myself to royalty."

…

There was a knock on the door. The sudden noise jerked the girls out of the brief nap they've been granted with the pirates' absence. Marinette whined, burying her head in a pillow, while Alya got up from her bed to open the door, to be greeted with the sight of Nino with a shit-eating grin.

"Care to join this tough-as-a-shell bloke for a midnight stroll?" he wiggled his eyebrows.

Alya snorted, rolling her eyes. "In your dreams, pirate! Now, why are you really here?"

"The captain wishes to be graced with your presence." He gave a little dramatic bow.

She gave another snort before going to Marinette's side to rouse her up. "Princess, we have to go!"

Marinette whined in protest. "Just a few more hours, Alya."

"We can't! Chat Noir wants to see us."

With a groan, she got out of the bed, wobbling a little with drowsiness. She threw a sleepy yet venomous glare at Nino, as they made to Chat Noir's cabin.

The pirate knocked on the door a few times before the door opened to reveal a big cabin with lavishly decorated furniture. It looked as if roman architects and builders themselves had made them.

Inside the room were two men – one was clearly Plagg, the other wore black-colored clothes, had messy blond hair, and had his back turned to them. Plagg was talking to the other male present.

"Captain, these are the women we were talking about." Plagg said, gesturing to the door. The man turned around to face the door.

When he turned around, Marinette realized that the man in front of them was none other than the notorious and most brutal of pirates. Chat Noir.

If she was being honest, she expected a middle aged man with dirty and singed clothes, and blackened teeth. She didn't expect him to be young, muscular, a handsome face despite wearing a black colored mask that covered his forehead, cheekbones and nose that showed his beautiful emerald eyes, and a grin that showed his perfectly straight and shiny pearly whites. Her eyes caught on his right hand, on a finger where he wore a ring made of black metal, with cut emeralds in the shape of a cat's paw-print.

"You told me that the princess was a runaway bride Plagg, but why didn't you tell me she was this beautiful? Perhaps, even more than Venus?" Chat Noir grinned.

"None of your business, pirate!" Marinette snapped.

He just grinned wider. "Aw, does the princess not like the audience?"

She rolled her eyes. "Considering the audience consists of pirates, I'll say I don't."

He faked a gasp, and touched his right hand to his heart. "Meow-ch! You wound me, princess!"

Marinette was about to spit a witty retort, when a woman with fiery red hair and indigo-blue eyes came at the threshold. "What in the world is going on, Chat? It's past midnight; you all should be asleep right now." She frowned. "And why are these girls in here?"

Plagg turned to look at the woman with a frown, though a slight fondness glittered in those acidic pools. "Tikki, why are you awake? I told you we'll be back after we fetch the maps."

On hearing the woman's name, Marinette stiffened. She turned to look at the woman, and her eyes widened slightly in recognition. When Tikki saw who the raven-haired woman was, her porcelain skin paled, her eyes widened in shock, as she let out surprised gasp.

"P-princess M-Marinette!?" She spluttered in shock. Then she turned to glare at the men. "Why in the world have you brought her here!?"

Everyone looked surprised at the tone she used. "You know her?" Nino asked, his eyebrows quirked in confusion.

"Of course I know her! She's the princess of the Southern kingdom!" She almost yelled, her eyes glistening with tears. "Why have you brought her here?"

"She wouldn't give up the fucking maps, I suppose." Chat said with a bored voice

Tikki's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Princess, you have the map of Akuma?"

Marinette nodded. "I do, along with a disc you dastardly pirates called the Miraculous Plate." She turned to glare at Chat Noir. "And I don't intend to give those up for some time."

Chat Noir's mood darkened. He stalked off towards Marinette, and leaned uncomfortably close to her face. "You know," he said, his voice low and extremely intimidating. "I think I've let you off the hook for more than enough." He brought out a dagger, and pointed it at the middle of her throat. "I'm a man, doesn't mean I'll go nicely on a princess like you. After all," he smirked. "I wouldn't be the most terrifying pirate of the Seven Seas, now would I?" He grew a little irritated when he realized she didn't even flinch at his words.

"Back off, Chat Noir!" Alya barked.

Chat Noir strutted towards Alya, and spoke with the same terrifying voice. "Oh? You think you can take me down, you pathetic little wench?"

Alya was unnerved. "I cannot." She paused. "But Ladybug can."

Plagg scoffed. "You think that murderess would come to save you?"

"She did already!" She defended. "She saved me from being sold to slavery!"

Chat scoffed. "Are you sure you're talking about the same woman?"

"I do." She affirmed. "She's the one who dresses in black and red."

Nino rolled his eyes. "Then you clearly don't know who Ladybug is, pretty lady." He purred, making Alya gag. "She's the one who fucking killed fifty men on her first day. She won't give a fuck about–"

"Fifty three men."

Eyebrows shot up as everyone turned to look at Marinette, as she had been the one to interrupt Nino.

"Ladybug killed fifty three men on her first day." She repeated. She went on. "After that, she killed a squire who had taken advantage of a young child. She killed an entire hall full of buyers who came for slaves, which Alya was a part of. She looted a baron, and killed his nephew for he had murdered his sister in cold blood. She looted a church, whose priest was a fraud who collected money from church goers, and used it for his own selfish means." She tilted her head with an innocent look on her face. "Want me to go on?"

Every single person in the cabin had an incredulous expression on their faces. Because how on earth did a princess know such intimate details of such a notorious outlaw?

Plagg blinked. "How the fuck do you even know this? Nobody knows why she even fucking killed them!"

"I'm supposed to know these things. I did them." She shrugged, ignoring the way everyone's faces slackened with shock. "After all," she smirked. "I wouldn't be Ladybug, now would I?"


	5. Chapter 5

"No," Tikki spoke slowly, as the earth-shattering revelation sunk in. "You cannot be."

Marinette snorted. "Of course I can."

Nino raised an eyebrow. "Why should we even believe you? You didn't even try to fight us at the shore!"

"I just wanted to escape my homeland. So, when I found you pirates, well, I couldn't very well pass the opportunity." She shrugged.

Plagg let out a disbelieving laugh. "Neptune, you have some gall using us for an escape route."

"I'm wanted in all of France. At least, this way I could escape without suspicion."

"Really?" Chat questioned as he stroked his clean-shaven jaw. "You have any proof besides the facts you stated that you're indeed Ladybug?"

Marinette smirked. "I understand your trust issues, captain." She tucked her loose hair behind her ears, revealing circular earring-tops attached to her earlobes. They were bright red and decorated with black spots. The earrings of the Ladybug. "But one thing you must know about me;" She bent down, and pulled out a dagger, which was hidden in her bright-red boots. She scowled. "I loathe liars!"

She put the dagger in her right hand, and ripped the collar of her dress, which rested against her left shoulder. She then pulled the rip with such force, her white dress ripped in half, and it tumbled down her shoulders, where it lay in a white heap.

At first, everyone in the room was a little embarrassed to witness a princess–ahem, a robber–to rip her dress in front of an audience. But then, they noticed that she was wearing something underneath her dress; a black tube-top which only covered her breasts and a pair of black pants, paired with bright red boots. Only Ladybug would be daring enough to sport such an outfit in public.

Besides the outfit, there was a sword with a black colored handle which was placed in a red colored sheath. It was strapped to her chest vertically with the handle facing up and the point down, so as not be suspicious. Alya mentally smacked herself. How in the world did she not notice that weapon before? And most importantly, _how the heck was she able to take a nap with that thing on_?!

Then, Marinette bent down again, and started rummaging through the white cloth pile, and pulled out a bright red mask with black spots, and put it on her face, covering her forehead and cheekbones. Her blue orbs glinted predatorily. She smirked wickedly.

"So, is this proof enough for you?!" she taunted. Chat Noir growled in response.

"You have no idea who you are messing with!" he hissed as he spat out the threat.

Ladybug's expression darkened. "It's true I have no idea who I'm messing with." She admitted, as she eyed the wooden floor. She then brought her eyes to face Chat, her head still lowered. "But, even you don't know who _you_ are messing with!"

Chat, while still maintaining the glare, admitted inwardly that she was right. The tension was so thick, maybe Ladybug's sword couldn't even pierce it.

"All right kiddos, that's enough!" Plagg barked, bringing them out of the tension. He turned to glare at the young woman. "And you!" he threatened, pointing a finger at her accusingly. "Don't fucking think that you're gonna be spared for the little stunt you pulled! You really have no idea why we fucking need that other half and the Plate!"

"That's enough, Plagg!" Tikki shot Plagg a dark look. "It's bad enough to know that Marinette turned out to be Ladybug herself," to this, Ladybug smirked. "And we all know that whether she gives up the map or not, it's still with us. After all, we're supposed to be sailing tomorrow at dawn. There's no way they would be leaving this soon. I mean, they tricked Plagg and Carapace into dragging them here instead of killing them."

Tikki had a point.

Plagg groaned. "Neptune woman, why are you so fucking smart?" he complained half-heartedly. He turned to Chat with an eyebrow raised. "Now mate, my fee?" he demanded, his stomach growling.

The black cat sighed with annoyance. "Hidden cabinet in the kitchen area, Plagg." He drawled.

Plagg nodded with a satisfied grin. He put a hand on Tikki's waist as he dragged her out of the lavish cabin along with him. Tikki spared a glance at Ladybug, wondering why she hadn't seen it before.

As soon as the couple left the cabin, Nino–or Carapace–turned his attention to the girls with a quizzical look.

"Now that I think about it," he began. "Your willingness to come here doesn't make sense at all. Care to explain why the fuck did you use us to come here?"

"War." Ladybug stated simply. That got Chat Noir's attention.

"A war huh?" he asked with curiosity, stroking his chin.

"Yup." She confirmed, popping her lips at the last syllable. "Andre wanted to marry me, so I ran way."

"And won't your disappearance cause chaos in your kingdom?"

"It's in chaos already. They've banged the War Gongs. Whole of France is involved in this war."

Chat hummed in understanding. Then, he smirked. "But bugaboo," he purred, making Ladybug widen her eyes, getting a little offended. "You still have to give those maps up to us. They're fucking useless piece of parchment unless you know the value of the prize at the end."

"It's _Hawkmoth's cane_ , isn't it?" she guessed. Everyone stared at her. She grinned.

"How do you know that?" Carapace mumbled slowly.

Ladybug let out a soft snort. "C'mon, it's common knowledge! It's not like I heard some of _your_ crew members mumbling about it in the pubs of the capitol, while I was hunting down a count who rid an entire village of their income."

Alya finally had enough. "All right, hold up! I feel like I stick out like a sore thumb here! I demand an explanation!" She ended on a frustrated note.

Chat Noir rolled his eyes. "Of course! A little fox like you wouldn't understand the value of a violet cane."

"Then just let me know its significance amongst you looters!"

Carapace wore a knowing grin. "Hawkmoth was the greatest pirate of the Seven Seas, you know that, don't you foxy?"

Alya rolled her eyes. "The one that this jerk killed? Of course." She said pointing her thumb towards Chat Noir, who looked irritatingly smug at this.

"Glad to know you're not completely oblivious." Carapace said, clapping his hands. "Well, after our great captain killed him when he was seventeen," he gestured to black cat dramatically. "We found that the bastard was loaded. Not only that, he hid his most prized possession–his cane."

Ladybug and Alya leaned forward and listened intently.

"Because he was the most brutal of pirates, his cane came to be associated with authority and power. With that, comes fear."

Ladybug nodded at this in agreement.

"And if we have in that in our possession, we'll finally have the prize we deserve after getting rid of the old butterfly."

The black-and-red clad girl wrapped her fingers around her chin, deep in thought. "And I'm guessing that's not the only reason for getting your hands on the stick." She spared a glance at the captain of the ship.

Chat squirmed. "Don't jump to conclusions!" He hissed

"So I was right!" the robber exclaimed with triumph. "It's not the power you're searching for, is it? Or is it some form of personal vendetta?"

"None of your fucking business!" He snapped. Carapace looked at him quizzically.

"Captain, are you not telling us something?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"No." He rushed out almost immediately.

Ladybug looked thoughtful. Chat Noir already had the reputation of being the most brutal of pirates. Then why was he hunting a symbol of power, which apparently isn't needed at all? Given by his behavior by her questioning, she assumed the reason must be personal. But why would he chase after a dead man's possession, whom he killed by his own two hands? What could have driven this madness?

Too many questions. Zero answers.

Alya broke her train of thought. "Prin–I mean–Ladybug, it's really late into the night. They said we're sailing at dawn. We should get plenty of rest for that." She still couldn't believe her mistress had been her savior.

Ladybug yawned. "I suppose you're right, Alya. We really do need sleep. You know how cranky I get when I'm deprived of sleep."

Alya let out a dry chuckle. "Of course, milady."

With that Ladybug sauntered out of the cabin with her head held high, Alya following her out in the same manner.

Carapace looked at the exhausted looking Chat Noir. "Is there anything you want me to do for you, mate?"

Chat glanced at his best friend. "Get me some rum, Carapace. This night's too weird for me to handle."

He shook his head. "No can do, buddy. We have an important day tomorrow. The last thing we need is an extremely hung-over captain."

Chat Noir glared at Carapace, while the tanned-skin man chuckled.

Back at the girls' room, Alya shut the door behind them sleepily. She glanced at Marinette, who was now mask-less, and stood motionless staring at her bed.

"Hey, Alya?" she murmured sleepily.

"Yes, your highness?"

"Can you do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Take out a sheet of paper and ink."

Alya raised an eyebrow at this odd request. "What do you want me to write in it?"

"My will." Saying so, she plopped on the bed, and drifted off to sleep instantly.

…

 _Footsteps echoed in the grand hallway, as a cloaked figure ran towards the royal chambers in the middle of the night. She moved carefully, watchful of the palace guards who kept an eye on the castle grounds. The last thing she needed was to get caught by anyone in general._

 _When she finally reached one of the doors, she carefully opened it, making sure that it won't make a noise. She shut the door with as much grace as before, after she had entered the room as quietly as possibly. She released a relieved sigh, as her back slid down the door of the room._

 _She quickly unfastened the cloak, and threw it away at a distance from her. She held up her hands to her eyes, as her breathing became heavier and heavier. The events that happened barely minutes ago, kept replaying in her mind._

 _Marinette had woken up with a jolt, when the nightmare of her being drowning in the salty sea became too much for her. The ravenette was drenched in cold sweat, taking in deep breaths to calm herself. She lied down again, but found out that she couldn't go back to sleep. With a frustrated huff, she got off her bed, and decided to take a stroll around the palace. While at the grounds, she realized it was too cold to be out in the open, and that she had come a long way from her chambers to fetch a cloak for herself. She got an idea._

 _She went into the servant quarters, and snatched a red and black cloak, which she knew belonged to her red-headed maid. She quickly fastened it around her neck, and resumed her stroll. She supposed she could return it when she would head back to her own quarters._

 _That's when she heard footsteps. They were heavy, and hastily retreating, probably in some form of hurry. An unpleasant feeling swept through her stomach. She didn't have a good feeling about this._

 _She followed the sounds of the footsteps, and kept following it till the sound got more and clearer. She turned around a corner, and shuffled back to hide, when she spotted the owner of the footsteps. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach._

 _She peeked out of the corner, and took a look at the man. He was extremely tall, but really thin as well. He wore grey colored robes, and had a face that reminded Marinette of a pigeon. He looked around the halls looking for something, and then proceeded to walk ahead._

 _Curiosity got the better of Marinette. With feather-light steps, she stealthily followed the man._

 _Damn her clumsiness, luck was not on her side._

 _She accidently tripped on the hem of the cloak, and knocked down a vase. The man turned around to face her with a sneer._

 _"What's a little filly like you doing here?"_

 _Heat pooled in her stomach, as well as in her face. She quickly got up and composed herself. She turned towards the man with a scowl._

 _"Who are you and what are you?" she questioned in an authoritative manner._

 _The man darkly chuckled. "My, aren't you a brave little thing."_

 _"Answer my question!"_

 _The man smirked. "I will. As soon as I get rid of your precious Tom Dupain."_

 _Marinette's eyes widened in shock, and her face paled in a frightening shade of white._

 _An assassin._

 _Before she could say anything, he smacked her head hard with his fist, and proceeded towards the royal chambers. Marinette moaned, as she gently massaged her head. She got up on her feet wobbly, and pulled out a sword from the walls. All those time watching Marin as he practiced dueling with Sir D'Argencourt, and practicing those moves in secret, would hopefully pay-off._

 _She poked the back of the assassin's back with the tip of her sword. The assassin stiffened at the contact. He turned around to face her with a mad-man's grin._

 _"It seems the little filly thinks she's braver than me! Well, time to put your delusions at rest!"_

 _He swung his sword mercilessly at her, which she blocked just barely. She then pushed him off with her sword. The clang of the two swords was the only sounds echoing throughout the halls. With one final blow, the assassin flung with such speed, Marinette's sword flew out of her hands, far from her reach._

 _The man had her cornered. She gulped. She slowly backed away, as he approached her with slow steps. She shivered in fear when she saw the dangerous glint in his eyes._

 _When her back touched the walls, her heart stopped. At just a last attempt at saving herself, her hand reached out to grope the walls for some weapon. She immediately grabbed the handle of the first weapon she came across. She swung the weapon blindly at the man, as she screwed her eyes shut. She heard a 'THWACK!' and a scratching sound on the floors. When she opened her eyes, saying that she was beyond shocked would be a terrible understatement._

 _For in front for her, stood a headless man in grey robes, with blood spouting at the neck. The corpse collapsed, lying on its back, the head rolled at another end of the hall like a sphere. When she looked around, she found that the weapon she had found was an axe._

 _She had just beheaded an assassin._


	6. Chapter 6

Sounds of soft snores filled the small room, as Marinette clad in black lay sprawled on the tiny bed. She was in such a deep sleep, she didn't hear the clicking of the door of the room, as two red-headed women stepped in, one of them carrying a pile of clothes.

Alya approached the sleeping ravenette, and shook her gently to wake her up. "Wake up princess. The sun's over the head."

Marinette responded by letting out a whine in protest, scrunching up her face, and burying her head deeper in the feather-soft pillow. Tikki chuckled.

"I see that she's still the same in the mornings as always." She said with a slight fondness.

Alya threw her an odd look. "You know," she began. "The way you both behaved when you met each other yesterday night is really sketchy. I could see in your body language that you both knew each other very well before meeting up here. Can I know how?" she raised a skeptical eyebrow.

Tikki looked away. "I believe that's a story for another time." Her voice wavered a little with lingering guilt.

Alya didn't press any further. Even though she could hardly keep her curiosities at bay, she knew exactly where to draw the line. She watched as Tikki approached a sleeping and unsuspecting Marinette.

"Good morning Marinette. Rise and shine." Tikki whispered softly directly into the blackette's ear. She shivered in response as she felt the hot breaths tickle her ear.

A mischievous look took over Tikki's face. She placed her fingertips softly on the exposed abdomen, and lightly stroked it. Marinette groaned as she felt something tickling on her stomach, which seemed to encourage her aggressor. She tickled her even more with much more vigor and mercilessly, causing her victim to squirm and writhe in the sheets. She snapped her eyes open and sat up, her back so straight it seemed her spine had been replaced with an iron pole. She threw a sleepy glare at Tikki, who giggled mischievously.

"That didn't take long." Tikki said between giggles. Even Alya couldn't hold back her amused chortles. Marinette cast a venomous glare at both of them.

"Glad to see my sleeping habits are an amusement to you." She yawned. She cast a look at Tikki's arms, where she saw a pile of black clothes. "What are those?"

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "These are some clothes for you. I figured you might want to change, so I sewed them for you." She blushed slightly. "If you want anything, please tell me about it. I'd be really happy to help you around here." She opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it, indicated by the way she bit her lip.

Marinette stared suspiciously at the nervous red-headed woman, but brushed it off. "All right. If there's something I need, I'll ring for you."

Tikki nodded. She got up, and proceeded to walk out of the room. "I'll send in some breakfast for both of you here. It should arrive within 10 minutes at least." As soon as she got to the threshold, Marinette interrupted her.

"Tikki," she said softly. "It-It's because of _him_ , isn't it?"

Tikki averted her eyes away, adopting a faraway look. She understood what was asked, and she knew she deserved answers. "Yes," was her soft reply. Marinette nodded, and motioned for her to be on her way.

As soon as she was gone, Alya turned to look at Marinette with a stern expression. "All right princess. What's going on? How do you know Tikki?"

Marinette scowled. "It's time we establish a ground rule, Alya." She commanded. "You are forbidden to call me by any royal titles while we are here. You can only call me Marinette in front of the captain, Carapace, Plagg and Tikki. In front of everyone else, you shall refer to me as Ladybug, got it?"

Alya trembled a little. "G-got it." she cleared her throat. "So, p-M-Marinette," she grimaced a little, tasting the name in her mouth. "How do you know Tikki?"

"I don't really want to talk about it right now." The ravenette confessed.

Alya understood that it was a sensitive topic for her. "It's okay," she put a hand on her knee. "We can talk about this later. I figured you need some answers from her first."

"Yeah, that's about it, I guess."

Marinette picked up her satchel, and started rummaging through it. She pulled out a bundle wrapped in brown cloth. Alya recognized it as one that Marinette deemed it extremely important, and the one she had outright refused to talk about. Now that one of her secret's out, there was no harm in asking about it, right?"

"Hey Marinette," she asked. "You said that bundle is something important. Is it something related to you being Ladybug?"

Marinette smiled and nodded. "Yup." She confirmed. She proceeded to unwrap the bundle, to reveal a bright-red folded piece of clothing.

"What is this?" Alya wondered aloud. Marinette chuckled and unfolded it, to reveal a bright red jacket, and a hat that had fallen out of the bundle, which was also bright red decorated with a black ribbon, a gold ladybug charm with a large, jet black feather protruding from where it was attached to the ribbon of the hat. These articles, without a shade of doubt, could only belong to one person. A certain robber who went by the name, Ladybug.

"I have a lot of questions for you. And I expect accurate answers." The copper-haired snorted in disbelief, making Marinette smirk.

"Yes, I know you have a rather slippery mouth. I'm not surprised that you crave for information like an alcoholic. It's addictive" she teased. Alya stuck her tongue out, making her companion giggle.

A few sharp knocks were heard on the door. This time, Marinette got up instead of Alya, and opened the door to reveal a small, timid boy, who looked no older than the age of 9 or 10. He had violent purple eyes and black hair, which had a violet sheen to it. Marinette was wearing the mask, so she was Ladybug at the moment. At the sight of the notorious robber, the boy paled, and his hands began trembling, shaking the bowls filled with hot soup and bread on the tray he was holding.

"Um, who are you?" Ladybug asked.

"I-I-I'm N-Nooroo, um, Mme. L-L-Ladybug." The boy stuttered. "Tikki a-asked m-me to bring both of you food. Its v-vegetable soup w-with bread and it's delicious."

Ladybug's heart was filled with sympathy for the boy, Nooroo. Such a sweet and timid boy, how in the world did he manage to stay still in the sights of the most frightening pirate of the Seven Seas, she didn't know. She smiled, and stroked the boy's hair, comforting him.

"It's nice to meet you." She smiled. "And thank you for the food. We appreciate it." Nooroo smiled weakly at her. Then, his eyes perked up, as if he just remembered something important.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" he exclaimed. "The captain sent me a message for you. Two of them, actually."

Ladybug tilted her head in curiosity. "What are those?"

Nooroo bit his lip. "He said the living quarters for you have been arranged. You two would have to live in two separate cabins."

Alya spoke somewhere from inside the room. "Two separate cabins? Why?"

"I don't know about that, mademoiselle."

The red-and-black clad woman sighed. "All right. So what's the second message?"

"Uh," the dark haired boy hesitated. "The captain says he wishes to speak with Ladybug. Alone."

Ladybug and Alya exchanged skeptical looks. She then turned towards Nooroo, and nodded. "All right, tell Chat Noir that I'll be there in a few moments."

As soon as Nooroo went away, presumably to convey the message to Chat Noir, Ladybug quickly sat down on the bed, and put the tray on the floor, as the women held the bowls in their hand, while they drank the soup and bread from the provided spoons. As soon as they were full, they shoved the tray along with the cutlery in a corner.

Ladybug put on her red boots and her red jacket. Before putting on her hat, she styled her hair into two pigtails, tying them with red ribbons so that her earrings would be on full display. She clasped her sword on one side of her hip, and tied the red and black yo-yo on the other. She didn't know why, but she felt as if the yo-yo belonged there.

"If I have to greet the cat, I must do it with style." Ladybug boasted, smirking, making Alya roll her eyes in amusement.

…

 _Two weeks._

 _Her and her brother's seventeenth birthday was in two weeks._

 _Fourteen nights prior, she had beheaded the assassin who was hired to kill the royal family._

 _Thirteen days prior, it was the unholy shriek of a servant which shook what could have been a peaceful morning in the castle._

 _The servant was walking through the hallways, to collect clothes for that day's laundry she had to do. It was then that she had stumbled upon the headless corpse lying in a shallow pool of blood, with its head on the other side of the corridor, which had since rolled near a bloody axe._

 _Ministers and doctors alike came to investigate the crime scene. Among them was Sir Armand D'Argencourt, Marin's fencing and combat instructor along with Marin himself, and the oracle, Master Fu. Sir D'Argencourt had noticed a small piece of paper poking out of one of the pockets, and he was beyond horrified at the message._

 _Eliminate the Dupain-Chengs._

 _They identified the body as of Xavier Ramier, who was one of the best assassins in the whole of France. If someone had hired him to get rid of the Southern kingdom's royal family, the one who had interrupted his mission and killed him in the process must've been an expert in axe swinging or any weapon in general, as the evidence suggested which was smeared with dried blood. There was no evidence of the man who might've killed him. Nor was he found in the kingdom after a thorough search._

 _Master Fu wasn't at all convinced that such a man existed to kill the pigeon-faced assassin. As the oracle, he knew the assassin was to meet his demise in the Southern kingdom, that too at the hands of a certain woman, a princess no less._

 _While observing the scene as the ministers and the crown prince formulated theories of how the assassin might've been killed, Fu's vision went hazy as another future greeted him in his visions._

 _A cryptic smile had curled on his lips._

 _Because of the gruesome state of the corpse, the king had ordered that all the females of the castle stay away from that corridor for the time being. Not that anyone minded. Everyone was quite shaken at what had happened right under their noses._

 _Marinette had returned the cloak as soon as she had calmed down enough to think rationally and walk properly without wanting to collapse and burst into sobs. She was glad she didn't have to get out of her chambers that morning; she didn't think she could handle it without having the urge to vomit._

 _Two weeks had flown by, and the twins had finally turned 17._

 _The birthday celebration was a much welcome distraction, given what had happened two weeks prior._

 _Marin had immediately gotten over the initial shock of the dead intruder and enjoyed the gala with a cheerful mood, but the same couldn't be said for Marinette._

 _Even though the guilt had somewhat gone away, she couldn't enjoy the grand party, not really. Even if she had let go of the remorse that was eating her away, she was still haunted by the dreams of the night she had given a gruesome death to the man in dark-grey robes. Still, she enjoyed the party as much as she could that evening._

 _Bridgette had told her that evening that she had fallen in love with the Northern kingdom's heir, Prince Felix. She had been a constant presence in his life, ever since his older brother had disappeared days after their mother's mysterious death. Felix and Adrienne were visibly devastated, and King Gabriel had become cold and distant, after losing both his wife and oldest child. After that, Bridgette had frequently visited them, and she and Felix became deeply attached to each other, while Adrienne simply giggled at their friendship. That was one of Marinette's most favorite surprises she got that day, even if she was saddened to learn that Felix didn't reciprocate her feelings. Yet._

 _After the gala had ended, Marinette retired to her chambers. For some reason, she was unable to go back to sleep, even if the bed was warm, given that it was a cold January night._

 _She certainly hadn't expected to find a small octagonal box and sword in a bright-red colored sheath with a black colored handle on her writing desk. Curiosity got the better of her, and she proceeded to check out the strange items placed on her desk._

 _She lifted the box, which was so small that it fitted on the palm of her small hand. She opened the lid, and was curious to find a pair of earring tops in it. They were ruby-red circular hemispheres, decorated with five black spots, one in the middle, the other four at an appropriate distance. She was impressed by the craftsmanship of these pieces of jewelry, and quickly replaced her diamond earrings with the red and black ones._

 _After the earring tops were settled on her earlobes, she proceeded to examine the sword. She unsheathed the blade, and released a surprised gasp._

 _The blade was beautifully crafted, with the most intricate detailing she had never seen on a weapon before. The blade was shaped like a Chinese dragon, its tail being the sharp tip of the sword, the scales on its body intricately embossed on it. There was also an inscription written in Mandarin, which she unfortunately couldn't understand, despite being half-Chinese herself. The black colored handle was in the shape of the dragon's head, with tiny shards of rubies used for its eyes. This sword was a deadly beauty. With the color combination of red and black on these items, a word couldn't help but slip past her honest lips._

 _"Ladybug," she had whispered._

 _Aside from the earrings and the sword, a small piece of parchment was also placed on the desk. She picked it up, and those words had rattled her._

 _Justice lies in your hands._

 _She could remember having grinned at those words._

 _Not wanting to sleep, she immediately pulled out a sheet of paper and some ink, and proceeded to draw an outfit, which would later be associated with the terror she was about to bring to the kingdom._

* * *

 **A/N: And that's how our sweet little buginette became the badass Ladybug! Hehehe~**


	7. Chapter 7

She had to go to meet Chat Noir. That much she knew. How she was supposed to reach there, she'd totally forgotten. The legitimate excuse would be that it was around midnight and she was practically half-asleep at the time. She was still sleepy, but it won't do any good if she kept sleeping way past noon.

Besides, she'd never had a memory of an elephant anyway.

Ladybug kept wandering through the corridors of the ship. Though clean, the cramped space reeked of alcohol, making her gag. She'd never had much luck with beverages, unlike her twin.

"I'm telling you mate, that's bullshit."

The robber halted in her tracks as soon as she was about to turn around the corner of the corridor. She peeked around the corner, and saw two burly looking men, the shorter one's right ear cut in half, arguing with each other at the stairway which led to the upper deck. She couldn't make out their faces, but she could hear in their voice that the argument was a competitive one.

"And why do you think she can't be here?" the half-eared one challenged.

"C'mon mate, you don't really trust that wimp, do you? If Ladybug's indeed here, I'll let Rose dress me up!" the taller one guffawed.

Ladybug smirked in amusement, and barely stifled a snicker. _Well, that would be one hell of a sight._

The shorter one snorted. "Yeah, but if she's not here, I'll let you have my store of whiskey."

"I can already smell the victory!"

"Like your fucking armpits?"

Ladybug had to bite her tongue, lest she would've burst out in uncontrollable laughter. She kind of wanted the half-eared one to win the bet, but only because she wanted the taller one to be dressed in feminine accessory. She hoped that's what he meant.

She sauntered out of her hiding place, and stopped near the bickering men. She gently tapped on the shorter man's shoulder to get his attention. The man looked irritated at being interrupted, the way he scowled at her, but turned comically wide-eyed when he realized who the intruder was. The taller one equally shocked by her presence, paled a little.

"Uh, do you know where the captain's cabin is? We got here last night, and I forgot the directions." She asked innocently.

The men simply gaped at her, causing Ladybug to look smug. The half-eared man rolled his eyes, though a victorious grin was plastered on his face.

"Y-Y-Y-You're L-L-Ladybug…" the taller man stuttered. The robber smirked.

"In the flesh." She confirmed.

The shorter pirate, still with that shit-eating grin, stepped forward. "Just turn around at the second intersection. You'll find a staircase leading down another level. Turn right from there, and there'll be a black door with ' _Chat Noir'_ written on it." he instructed, pointing at turn behind her.

"Thanks for the help!" she beamed, taking off her hat, and gave a very gentlemanly bow. She turned around, and walked away in a carefree and a nonchalant manner, with a little skip in each step.

Before she could get out of their earshot, she heard the shorter man say something.

"I can't wait to see what flowers Rose will use in your flower crown!" he snickered.

She was pretty sure the entire upper deck could hear her cackles.

…

Ladybug was transfixed at the door when she heard the first few bars of one of the most melodious music she had heard in her entire lifetime. She swore that not even the musicians back at the palace were that graceful with their fingers. She couldn't bring it in herself to interrupt the music, and that's why she kept staring at the silver letterings that spelled _Chat Noir_.

When she heard the last few bars, she knocked the door with four sharp knocks, the same pattern she always used. The music stopped abruptly, and a voice called out from inside.

"Enter."

She nudged the door open with her toes, allowing light to wash over her. She entered in the same, lavishly decorated room with careful footsteps, treading slightly as if trying not disturb a sleeping beast. Maybe that's exactly what she was doing.

His back was turned towards the door, and in turn Ladybug. He was seated on a silver-gilded stool with green plush cushion. He was facing a large piano, where his tall, lithe fingers fitting for a pianist, rested on the black and white keys. She couldn't see his face, and even his body language was neutral.

She frowned. "All right. Why in the world am I here?" she asked bluntly, crossing her arms beneath her chest.

Chat turned around in his stool to face her with a mocking grin. Ladybug felt irritation rising in her right through her bones.

"You certainly have a great sense of style, I'll have to give you credit for that." He said.

"What do you want?" she asked.

He took out a small dagger strapped to his black leather boots, and spun it in his hands. "You and I both damn know exactly what I _need."_ He said without looking at her, emphasizing the last word.

"I don't have the other half right now, if that's what you are implying."

He stopped spinning the dagger in his hand, and looked her straight in the eye with an annoyed glare. He stood up from his spot, and walked towards a large wardrobe, and pulled out a large, black jacket and put on his black shirt – which she would never admit it out loud, made him look even more attractive. She had always found the authoritative aura in men attractive, although not if it was directed at her.

"You really think that you are in a position to win against me?"

"Actually yes, I am." She replied coolly.

Chat merely scoffed. "You know milady," he began. "That this ship is mine. You're only a fucking stowaway here. And that means I'm your captain."

Ladybug didn't take the bait. In fact, she smirked. "If you're my captain, then why in the world would you address me with a superior title?" she questioned. "That's awfully contradictory, don't you think so kitty?"

Chat faltered a little at the nickname, which went unnoticed by her. "It so happens that I'm fond of giving nicknames." He shrugged. His expression turned serious "I believe we should leave the banter aside. We have things to discuss, and I believe you have things to say."

"Right…" she frowned a little, agreeing with the pirate.

He went to his study desk, and opened a drawer. He rummaged through the contents, and pulled out a large piece of slightly yellowed paper. One of the edges was jagged, clearly indicating that it was probably ripped. He banged the desk as he flattened the paper on the surface, making her flinch with the noise.

"I believe," he growled, "that you wouldn't want to see this incomplete map."

 _Ugh! The nerve of him!_ She thought with exasperation.

She casually walked over to the desk, and eyed the other half of the map that Chat Noir possessed. It was similar to the half she had, but slightly different. Her fingers casually let her fingers slide over the outlines of the different landmarks. She was slightly surprised that this half was a little different than the one she Ladybug possessed.

On her half, there was only one small island at the jagged edge, and a semi-circular outline surrounding it. Even that had been incredibly detailed, with the small lakes and rivers. On his half though, the other island was much larger in size. It was shaped like a teardrop, with a lake as large as the small island on the swollen side of the bigger island.

"What is this?" she murmured in wonder.

"The Miraculous Isles." he explained. "That's where Hawkmoth was last seen," he paused "before I fucking spilled his guts."

Ladybug grimaced at that information, even if she had heard about it years ago. "Would you mind keeping swearing to a minimum? It's literally taking years off my life."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He chuckled, earning himself a glare. "I'm pretty sure you'd be having a pirate's mouth in no time." This time, he earned himself an eyeroll.

"Yeah, well we're going off-topic there." She chided. "So, the Miraculous Isles, huh? It has an odd shape."

"Not so odd, if you look closely." He said. "This part –" he pointed at the landmass. "– is shaped like _yang._ "

Her eyes widened. "That means the islands are shaped like –"

"– _yin_ and _yang_? You've hit the jackpot, milady!" he mock-cheered. He sobered up quickly.

"There's some ridiculous myth about this place actually." He continued, deep in thought. "They say that this is the place where you can find your soulmate, what with the _yin–yang_ bit. Piece of shit, if you ask me."

"Nobody's asking for your opinion." She countered easily. "And I think the soulmate bit is pretty sweet, even if it sounds far-fetched." She grinned, showing her pearls. "It's not my fault you're not a romantic!"

"I'm plenty romantic." He deadpanned.

"Prove it!"

His face took such a feral expression, she gulped audibly. He started towards her as if he was a predator, backing a meek and helpless prey into a corner.

"W-What are you doing!?" She squeaked. She flinched as her back hit the wooden wall, preventing her from bolting away from there. She felt herself stiffen, as he Chat casually placed his arm on the wall above her head, and leaned into her space, their noses almost touching, their breaths mingling. Ladybug felt her face heat up at the close proximity. Judging by the grin on blond's face, and the mischievous glint in his green eyes, her face was as red as the mask on her face, a reaction of her heated cheeks.

He leaned down towards at the crook of her neck, hot breaths brushing her throat, sending shivers down her spine. His nose touched the cream flesh of her neck, as he trailed his face upwards, his lips ghosting the soft skin, as he grabbed the red jacket by her shoulders.

"Th-This isn't romance, you mangy alley cat!" she spluttered through the haze of her mind, as he continued to tease her. She felt her hat loosen, and realized that Chat Noir must've probably taken it off, so that he can have better access. She didn't realize, but she had tilted her head to give him better access to her neck.

"Really?" he murmured huskily, as his lips ghosted the shell of her ear. "Romance means making the other one blush, all the while giving all his attention to her, isn't that right?"

"Y-You're not supposed it be so straightforward."

"Is that so?" he questioned. "You're not telling me to pull away just yet."

Damn it! He really knew how to make her putty in his hands. She was so pathetic. Melting like goo when a willing man comes along. No wonder most of her courtships didn't last more than a week. Though, there was one which lasted 3 months. Then Andre had to come along and ruin it.

Char brought removed his head to face, to show his lips pulled in a sly grin. Then, his face scrunched up, and he let out a loud, wet sneeze just beside her shoulder. Ladybug pursed her lips in disgust and wiped her jacket, after pushing Chat off her, as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand, as he adjusted his mask with the other, which had come loose.

"Sneezing is not a part of romancing, just in case you didn't know." she said. "Gross!"

"I don't react well to feathers." He grumbled.

"You're allergic to feathers?" she quirked her eyebrows with curiosity.

"Another reason why we don't loot feather-related items." He explained. "I've forbidden my crew to wear any feather accessory."

She didn't notice it, but Chat's mask had come loose when he had sneezed, letting his identity down. Thankfully for him, she didn't see his face mask-less.

"Alright, I'll get the map when I next come in." she said as she put on her hat.

"Do that. And don't forget the Miraculous Plate." He paused. "And get rid of the revolting thing." He snarled as he pointed at the black feather on her hat.

"Duly noted." She growled. "Bastard."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: My summer vacation started, and guess what? Life decided to be a bitch and shove the nasty little thing called "writer's block" down my throat. I'm sorry, is that too much?**

 **Also, I recommend checking out my newest fic "A Blast In The Past". It's a reveal fic, and I'm in the process of writing the next few chapters. Both of these are cross-posted on my Ao3 account.**

* * *

' _Two of my crewmates had their guts spilled, which left them empty. I thought you'd appreciate my gift'_ he had said when she asked Chat why she and Alya had been given two separate cabins. Ladybug didn't appreciate the answer. At all.

She shuddered at the memory of the pirate's warm breath tickling her skin. How uncomfortably close he had gotten when she remarked about him not being romantic. How he had cornered her and left her hot and bothered, something the red and black robber hadn't been able to explain why that happened to her, instead of horror filling her veins.

She had two revelations at that moment – that he's an idiot, and a world-class flirt.

And when she was about to leave his room, he stopped her. And for what? For reminding her to pick up the discarded clothing that she had left in his room after the reveal. _'What will my crew think when they get to know that a young woman had stripped in front of their captain?'_ He had promptly received a kick in the shins for his outrageous remark from an offended Ladybug. For a pirate with a reputation for his brutality, he sure knew how to strike a nerve and be humorous at the same time.

That didn't make him any less bearable.

She was startled out of her thoughts, when she heard fast-paced approaching towards her.

"Ladybug!" she recognized the voice belonging to Nooroo. The boy came skidding to a halt in front of her, carrying a familiar dark-brown satchel. _Her_ satchel.

"Why in the world are you carrying my stuff?" Ladybug raised an unamused eyebrow. He shrugged with a sheepish expression.

"Er, your companion Alya told me to carry your satchel." He explained, blushing with embarrassment. "She told me to give you your stuff, and follow me to your assigned cabin."

"Are you sure this isn't some kind of inn?" she humored. "Because you clearly fit the part of a bell boy."

"I'm given odd tasks because I'm the second youngest crew member. And also because I'm a stowaway."

She noted that his explanation was laced with pain and trauma, the way his eyes took a haunted turn, and figured he must've somehow escaped his captors or something. And then he wound up on the ship, working for Chat Noir. The curse of the black cat got him, she mused. But what did he meant by second youngest?

"Okay then, show me my room."

"Alright, but be quick. I must check up on someone. Else Tikki would kill me if I leave him alone for too long."

…

"Why are you here?" Alya questioned as she spotted Tikki coming into a cabin which was assigned to Marinette. The copper-haired female had decided to check out the blackette's room when she had finished setting up hers.

Tikki merely shrugged. "I thought she would be here."

Alya narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You have something to tell her, I'll convey the message."

"No!" the blue-eyed redhead snapped. "I can't talk about this to anyone else. It's between me and her! Do not dare to impose!"

"Or what? You'll ask that jerk-of-a-husband of yours to shove me off the deck?"

"Don't bring my husband into this!"

"Why is there a black cloud thundering in my room?"

The two red-haired female snapped to attention as they turned their heads at the threshold of the room, where they spotted (pun intended) Ladybug and Nooroo eyeing them with curious stares. This was enough to make them turn a faint pink from self-consciousness.

"Ah, M-Ladybug," Alya said in a high pitched squeak. "I-I was just checking up your room, when she came in." she said pointing her thumb at Tikki. "She wanted to talk about something, but she won't tell me anything!"

Ladybug cast a skeptical look at Tikki, who averted her eyes in embarrassment. Then, the redheaded woman noticed Nooroo standing there, and glared at the boy.

"What are you doing here, boy?" Tikki scolded, tapping her foot in agitation. "You're supposed to be looking after him."

The dark-haired boy cringed and squirmed under her scrutinizing gaze. "Uh, sorry. I'll go look after him now." With that, the kid threw the satchel inside and promptly dashed away.

Tikki sighed. "That child…" she shook her head in exasperation. She turned towards Alya with a frown. "I believe you should leave. Marinette and I have something to discuss."

"What!? I'm not going anywhere from here!" Alya spoke stubbornly. Her expression said _'Tell her!'_

Ladybug sighed and shook her head. "Alya, Tikki is right. I really need to talk to her. Privately."

"What! But –"

"You heard me. Now, leave!" She commanded, and motioned for her to leave. Alya left, grumbling under her breath. As soon as they heard the door closing, Ladybug took of her mask, and placed it on a small office desk of her new room. She motioned for Tikki to sit on her bed – which was larger than the last one – and frowned at her.

"Finally ready to talk, are you?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

Tikki nodded. "Yes. I presume you need answers."

"Yes I –" Marinette paused, frowning. She turned and marched towards the door, and upon opening it came face to face with a sheepish looking Alya.

"Really Alya? Eavesdropping now, are you?"

Alya grinned sheepishly and hurried towards her own cabin. Marinette exhaled an exasperated sigh as she watched the copper-haired woman's retreating figure.

"This Alya and her meddling – agh!" Marinette grumbled as she closed the door behind her. Without checking for another intrusion, she sat on the edge of her bed and cast a pointed look at Tikki.

"All right Tikki. From the beginning." She started. She let out a little cough, as her voice began to thicken. "Why?"

"It was Plagg," Tikki answered. "Three years ago, this ship had been anchored at the shore, near the forest area, which made it hard to spot by anyone" she explained. "I saw this man in the market place, who was exchanging pieces of jewelry for some food. Said he needed it urgently, to feed the men. The way he kept looking at different directions every passing moment, it was suspicious."

"So, you followed him?"

"Uh-huh." Tikki answered. "I followed him, till he reached the shore. I have to say, I was quite shocked to find The Cataclysm anchored there." She frowned. "Although I spotted this ship, I couldn't see where the pirate had gone. I didn't even know he knew that I was following him, till a hand was clamped on my mouth."

"He caught you?" Marinette raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "As far as I know, you were the most discreet person at the palace."

"I know." The redhead chuckled. "Being the maid of Princess Marinette for 11 years definitely came with its perks."

"I loved you like a sister Tikki," The ravenette revealed. "The day you left Palace Gotlib, you broke my heart. You were my most favorite companion. Did you know that?"

"I did." Tikki said. "I loved you too, Marinette. Like a sister I never had. The one I wished I had." She sighed. "But then, Plagg…"

"He clamped a hand around your mouth," she reminded. "Was he reason you kept sneaking off, when there was a high alert for Ladybug?"

"To be honest, I had no idea you were Ladybug." Tikki admitted. "Just like the others, I got to know it when you revealed yourself."

"And I'll appreciate it if no one else – besides those who know already – knows that I'm Princess Marinette."

"I'll keep my word." She promised. She continued with her story. "Plagg was both amused and mad that I had been able to find their ship. Said he would have to kill me or take me hostage."

"So, you were so scared for your life you decided to come here?"

"None of that happened." She smirked. "I noticed that this ship had been badly damaged by a passing storm, and that it would take at least 6 months to repair it. I offered him a deal," she straightened. "I asked him to let me live, in exchange for providing his crew members with food, water and clothes whenever they need it. He accepted."

Marinette's eyebrows quirked in confusion. "But why did you come here, if you both kept the end of your deal?"

Tikki blushed. "I, I fell in love with him." She averted her eyes in shyness. "I didn't really expect it to happen. And I was very surprised to learn that he returned my sentiment. Imagine, cold, grumpy, brutal, deadly Plagg falling for someone like me…" she giggled.

"Not to mention gluttonous." Marinette added, laughing.

"That too." The redhead chuckled. "The day before they were set for sailing, he said that he didn't want to leave without me. Then, he proposed to me, asking if I would be willing to secretly marry him that evening. I accepted." She sighed, as she rubbed a silver wedding band on her finger with her thumb.

"My poor, innocent maid Tikki, involved in a love affair with a deadly pirate? How utterly romantic and scandalous!" the ravenette joked.

Tikki laughed. "I know! I realize that it does sound like a fairy tale – sans the part where the ladylove is a princess's maid, not the princess herself."

Hurried, sharp knocks were heard on the door. Marinette got up, pulled the mask to her face and opened the door. She was greeted by the sound of a frantic looking Nooroo.

"Uh Ladybug," Nooroo said in a frantic tone. "Can I talk to Tikki? It's urgent!"

"What about her?"

"He, he won't stay put! Says he wants to see her!"

"Who are you talking about?"

Her question was answered soon enough. Before Nooroo could speak another word, a small figure toddled past him and Ladybug, and settled near Tikki's legs.

"Mama!" the little toddler cried. Tikki smiled and picked up the child and settled him on her lap. She bopped his nose with a finger, eliciting a giggle from the infant.

Marinette turned towards Nooroo. "You can go. I need to talk to Tikki." She waved a hand, dismissing him. The boy hurried away, and Marinette closed the door behind her.

"Is-is that your baby?" the ravenette murmured in awe. Tikki beamed and nodded.

"Yes!" she grinned. "His name is Wayzz. He is only 2 years old. He takes after his papa."

Marinette observed the little boy. The toddler had jet-black hair, acid-green eyes and his father's face, but that's where his similarities with Plagg ended. He had Tikki's complexion, her smile, and a playful and warm glint in his eyes that could only be present in Tikki's. When the little boy giggled, she realized that he had Tikki's laugh.

"Oh I don't know, Tikki." She mused. "It seems that your son takes after his mama more than his papa."

"Everyone seems to think that. But I know that he takes after Plagg! Call it mother's intuition."

Marinette shook her head, as she picked up the little baby in her arms. The child squealed in delight.

"Hello Wayzz! It's nice to meet you!" The ravenette cooed. The little boy in her arms giggled.

"Nice tuh meet yah!" little Wayzz answered.

"My name is Ladybug. Will you be my friend?"

"Lay-Dee? Fwiend?" The kid looked at her with a quizzical look.

"Yes, friend."

Wayzz's face scrunched up, as if he was deep thought. Then, his face broke out in a beaming smile as he vigorously nodded. "Yes yes! Wayzz wanna fwiend!"

Ladybug laughed and kissed him on the cheek. She put the little boy down, who promptly rushed to his mother, to be pet and smothered by her.

"You have quite a little gentleman there Tikki." She shook her head as she giggled. Her smile faded. "Shame, he shares blood with such a brute."

Upon that statement, Tikki averts her eyes away from her, adopting a guilty look. Catching on the meaning behind that look, Marinette's eyes widen, looking extremely angry and incredulous at the same time.

"You didn't tell him?!" The ravenette cried, anger seething off her.

"I couldn't –"

"What do you mean you couldn't? Do you have any idea what this could possibly mean for you?"

"I was scared!" Tikki cried. "I-I didn't want to tell him! I'm scared he would leave me when he finds out!"

"That is no excuse!" She scolded. "You should've told him the minute you married him! And not telling Chat Noir? What were you thinking? That's basically committing suicide!"

"You don't know what it's like Marinette. You won't understand!"

There were shouts that started to be heard from outside the halls. It felt as if multiple people were running down the corridors, to make way to the upper deck. The shouting was mostly men, but many feminine voices could be heard rumbling the entire ship.

"What in the world is going on?" Marinette wondered aloud, frowning.

There was a frantic knocking on the robber's door. Marinette quickly donned on her mask and opened the door, to reveal a pale looking Alya.

"What's going on Alya?" Ladybug asked, getting a little nervous.

"Th-There's a raid going on!" Alya spluttered. "And apparently, that's going to lead to a bloodshed. I-It's getting dangerous, we need to hide!"

" A raid? So soon?" Tikki said, looking exasperated.

"We?" Ladybug scoffed. "No. You, Tikki and her son are staying in this room, not me." She smirked maliciously, and cracked her knuckles. "I'm going to join the cat's little party. After all, I never gave them a proper introduction, have I?"

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 **A/N: Heads-up for the action in the next chap! Also, what are Mari and Tikki hiding?**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N : I'm not dead, people! Sorry for going MIA since I updated in June, but things happen, ya know. First, i had a terrible writer's block. Then i got sick and found out that i had stones in my kidneys (it's gone now, thankfully) then we had these school tests, and my laptop was busted. Ya know how life is. Those reading "A Blast in The Past" don't worry, i haven't abandoned it, I'm just focused on school more for now, until i finally graduate high school this year.**

 **I have a really important message for those trolls who spam people's stories with bible and discourage us from writing fanfics. "Live-to-forgive" and "Child-of-God16", if you are reading this, i only have two words for you : FUCK YOU! And just a little FYI, our school director preaches the bible every fucking day, so i don't need to take you seriously. And he's homophobic, so screw him too!**

 **I hope this chapter was worth the wait!**

* * *

An enemy ship couldn't have been a much better distraction for Chat Noir.

The heated moment with the notorious robber certainly had him in a bit of a… tight situation, one would say. He hadn't realized it, until she had gone away, muttering a curse under her breath for being so stupidly straightforward. But he needed to make a point – he wasn't to be messed around with.

Although, the same could be said about his female counterpart.

It was a hilarious situation really – a princess willingly coming aboard a deadly pirate ship, only to reveal herself to being as deadly as the captain himself, just so she can escape an unwanted marriage with an old prune. And to top it all off, said princess happens to possess the same damn things that the crew aboard _The Cataclysm_ had been searching for months. Those damn things that would lead the pirates to become even richer.

Those damn things that would lead to his cure.

When the tickling of his nose led to a loud, wet sneeze, he discovered to his horror that his mask had slipped. He was forever thankful that Ladybug had not seen his face – or more specifically, his exposed eyes.

Only Plagg, the first mate, and Carapace knew of the condition he suffered from. They both knew why he was so desperate to find Hawkmoth at a tender age of twelve. Why he had lusted after Hawkmoth's blood for those five years. Why he couldn't stop slashing the pirate repeatedly, even after he had been killed hours ago. Why even a deadlier pirate than the Moth himself was born that day.

Someone banged loudly on the captain's door. Chat was thankful that the black jacket he was wearing hid his…situation. Although, he could feel it gradually loosening. He only had to think of his dark past.

He quickly walked over to the door and swung it open, to see a tense crew member, hearing the loud thumping of the footsteps going towards the upper deck.

"Captain!" the pirate said. "There's an enemy ship trying their luck. You're needed on the front!"

"Who are these fucking idiots?" The captain barked, securing his rapier firmly on his hip.

"Dunno exactly. Just another fucking pirate ship, trying to challenge your position as the deadliest of pirate of the Seven Seas." The pirate smirked.

Chat returned the smirk. "Really?" He scoffed. "Then it's high time to burst their bubble. Wouldn't want to hurt their ego too much before it grows too large, now do we?"

…

The captain found his crew already locked in a bloody battle when he reached the upper deck. He turned to take a look at the enemy pirate ship, and let out a scoff.

Well, there was nothing to actually laugh about the enemy. Just like any other pirate ship, it looked really menacing, with equally menacing inhabitants the vessel carried. But of course, the captain never actually took them seriously, because he knew that the enemy was all brawn, no brains. He was only laughing at the ridiculousness and recklessness of the enemy – their brutality and pride guiding them instead of teamwork.

"Aye laddies!" he heard a gruff, male voice shout. "That's how yer supposed to do it! We would be winning in no time!" It was the captain of the enemy.

 _Yes,_ Chat thought. _That's how you're supposed to lose this battle._

Something silver swung by his throat, which snapped him out of his stupor. He gripped the hilt of his rapier tightly, and pulled it out. He swung it, and slit the throats of his enemies without breaking a sweat. He just killed around at least 10 men in under a minute, when he realized that the numbers just refused to decrease.

"Captain!" One of his crew shouted. A tanned skin man with brown eyes and an angelic face. Theo Barbot; or more commonly known to his associates as Copycat. "There's too many of them!"

"You don't think I noticed that?!" Chat shouted back, exasperated as he gutted another enemy.

"I have no fucking idea how they managed to cram that many bastards! You'd think it would burst like a bubble or something!"

"You think they have fucked way too much?!"

"If that was the case, we would be dealing with little crawling bastards, not swiping ones! Besides, there is not a single filly in there!"

Chat Noir was really fond of this member, really. He could count on him to joke around whilst their blades dripped blood. Not only was he a jokester like the captain, he could also pull off just about any disguise without trouble, be it a man, woman, or a child. Hence, the name Copycat.

"Well, I think these swiping bastards are getting the shock of their lives!" He paused. "Not just them, you too."

Theo looked curious. "What do you mean by that, captain?" A blade swiped at Theo's ponytail startling him, letting his luscious brown locks hang freely on his dark-purple vest clad shoulders. Theo instantly gutted the enemy.

It wasn't unheard for the black cat to have a flashback, right in the middle of a battle, and still be able to swipe his rapier at his enemies.

This was just one of those many times.

…

 _He was a monster. He knew it. The stares, the whispers, the horror on their faces, the mockery, were thrown mercilessly at him._

 _His own father had disowned him without a second thought – lead his siblings to believe that he was dead. His own father couldn't fathom the prospect of having a monster for a son._

 _He barely spoke to his father anyway._

 _Thank the lord for the enchanted mask and the ring that little, old man had given him, hiding his monstrous features behind a glamour, kept him from going on a bloodthirsty rampage._

 _That bloody pirate had taken away his mother's life, cursed him, and fled away for new prospects._

 _He wanted Hawk Moth's blood._

 _He had heard tales about the deadliest of the pirates that roamed the Seven Seas – he had a beautiful and terrifying looking, puce-colored ship, the **Akuma**. Hawk Moth also had a very powerful and beautiful sorceress for a wife, whose name was Mayura. She was known to be as ruthless, if not more, like her husband. There were also rumors of the pirate having a child with his wife, which was born at a little village called **Le Papillion** , whom he abandoned because the child was a disappointment, though no one could confirm if he indeed had an offspring._

 _Hawk Moth had killed Mayura while she was asleep, and placed her in a glass coffin, at the heart of the Miraculous Isles. Although dead, her magic was very much intact in her body. And Hawk Moth sought to use it to his full advantage. He sought the ultimate power, and in turn, control over the lands and seas._

 _He sought to destroy the man who had ruthlessly crushed and taken away an eleven year-old boy's childhood, leaving him with a terrible curse and a violent blood lust._

 _So he trained, all alone, amongst the wild beasts that roamed the forests of France. His first ever human encounter with his present-day first mate Plagg was by chance, a few months later after he was cursed. It was a fourteen year-old Plagg who had given him his first rapier; who taught him the art of fencing and fighting dirty. It was a whole year late after the curse, when they met a young lad named Nino, a slave-boy who escaped his captors after stealing his owner's emerald bracelet. He was the one who gave him the name Chat Noir._

 _It was a whole six years later when he faced him again._

 _He was no longer the cowering little boy, who let his mother die in front of him, as Hawk Moth sucked her life force. No longer was he the one who foolishly attacked him unarmed instead of running away like he should have – let himself be cursed as he screamed and writhed on the cold stone floors in anguish. No, this was a man who had come back with a deep sense of vengeance, coming back to make the pirate pay for destroying him._

 _And make him pay he did._

 _He removed his mask and ring, and a wild, grotesque creature took his place._

 _The creature stood nine-feet tall, his entire body black and lean, dark fur that covered him from head to toe, a hunched back which exposed his spine, large ears, a long black tail, and a wild feline face, with him foaming at the mouth, snarling through his gritted fangs._

 _But the violet pirate was unfazed._

 _Big mistake._

 _Big ferocious claws swiped at the pirate mercilessly, chunks of flesh flying around. Although Hawk Moth had used the strongest spells against the ferocious feline, Chat Noir kept fighting. He needed Hawk Moth to pay for crushing him all those years ago._

 _Hawk Moth's defeated and terrified eyes were the last things he saw._

…

"I still can't understand how you managed to swipe at 'em when your head is still lost in the clouds!" A voice exclaimed, bringing the pirate out of his stupor.

"One of my many talents." Chat drawled out. Theo rolled his eyes.

"Do we need to take out the cannons, captain?" one of the men came running up to him, covered in blood.

Chat Noir shook his head. "We don't need the fucking cannons, mate." He smirked. "You see, we have something even deadlier!"

Both the pirates looked at him in confusion. "Did Plagg and Carapace bring some sort of weapon from the Southern Kingdom?"

"Oh no, mate! She came on her own!" The men's face scrunched up in confusion.

A flash of red whizzed past the three men, who was openly slashing at the enemy crew. None of the pirates could recognize who she was, until they noticed the red-and-black spotted mask on the woman's face. The pirate's gasped in shock.

"L-ladybug?" The men sputtered.

"That's right gentlemen!" the feline-themed pirate grinned. "Ladybug is aboard the _Cataclysm_."

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 **A/N: I know this is just shameless advertising, but I'm on the Miraculous Amino now! Check out my artwork, if you want to - I'm registered with the same name "ScarletRedSouls"**


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